Though Medeski, Martin & Wood are largely inactive as a trio these days, the guys are still finding a host of side projects to keep them busy. Drummer Billy Martin has continued to explore the Downtown New York avant scenes as the trio did in their early days, and recently teamed up with drummers Amir Ziv and Cyro Baptista to form Rythmos. Their 14-song debut finds the group speaking in “percussionese,” as they call it—which really just sounds like a 58-minute seamless improv. The tracks that make up Rythmos were culled together from live shows around New York City, yet sound more like three ace players duking it out in a room by themselves. There isn’t any audible crowd noise; instead, the music is focused on, well, rhythms, and how the percussionists keep themselves in check with one another. The album’s opener “We’re On” is probably the best example of the three getting into a groove—mostly though, they’re oscillating between spaced-out compositions and quickly evolving explorations that feature more than just the drums—“Marinara” places bird calls at the forefront, while “Cloudina” weaves chanting throughout. Rythmos veers more toward the experimental side of the improv world. But for those who always loved Martin’s extended drum solos in MMW—or are curious about how three masters speak to each other through the instrument they love the most, this is certainly a fantastic window into creativity and spontaneity, where it’s easy to get sucked in.